KYIV: A video viewed millions of times across social media platforms appears to show Ukraine’s President Volodymyr Zelensky dancing in a form-fitting red dress. But the video is altered, the latest deepfake of Zelensky to spread amid the country’s war with Russia.
Ukraine’s President face was changed onto the body of a Russian social media user who posted the original in 2020. The footage, which purports to show President Zelensky dancing around a festively decorated room in a red ensemble with gold applique, spread across social media platforms including Instagram and TikTok. One social media account received over 9 million views. Same posts also spread in other languages, including Spanish.
Deepfake Video of Zelensky Spreads Online
One earlier circulated video was also changed to make it look like President Zelensky had been filmed dancing in an impressive costume; in reality, Zelensky ‘s face was edited onto the body of Argentine artist Pablo Acosta, AFP reported.
The man in the original video is not President Zelensky and, unlike the Ukrainian leader, has no facial hair. He is also performing dance to different music than what can be heard in the altered video shared online.
